A recent Washington Post article highlighted growing criticism of the low-income phone subsidy program known as Lifeline, which was founded under President Ronald Reagan's administration and expanded to include cellphone service during the presidency of George W. Bush.

Despite its Republican beginnings, this crucial subsidy that keeps low-income families connected to schools and job opportunities and to E-911 has come under attack by conservatives who mischaracterize the program as a massive giveaway called "Obama phones" being distributed at taxpayer expense. In fact, wireless and landline Lifeline programs are funded by the Universal Service Fund (USF). Telecommunications providers must contribute to the USF through an assessment on their interstate and international revenues. While the telecommunications providers typically pass the USF assessement on to customers in their bills, Lifeline subsidies are not taxpayer funded.

The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Lifeline program on April 25. Sign this petition now so we can deliver it to the committee in advance of the hearing.

- Curbing Wireless Lifeline will harm families, seniors, veterans, minorities and other key groups of low-income Americans.- Wireless lifeline delivers important benefits to low-income families, including helping people find work, stay connected to schools and seek help in an emergency.- Efforts already are ongoing by the Federal Communications Commission to curb fraud and make wireless Lifeline more efficient.- The Lifeline program is not taxpayer funded but paid for by assessments on telecommunications carriers.

JD

Warren / Sanders 2016

Please Don't forget to Register and Vote

I'm not a democrat or a republican, i'm a common sense moderate progressive

A recent Washington Post article highlighted growing criticism of the low-income phone subsidy program known as Lifeline, which was founded under President Ronald Reagan's administration and expanded to include cellphone service during the presidency of George W. Bush.

Despite its Republican beginnings, this crucial subsidy that keeps low-income families connected to schools and job opportunities and to E-911 has come under attack by conservatives who mischaracterize the program as a massive giveaway called "Obama phones" being distributed at taxpayer expense. In fact, wireless and landline Lifeline programs are funded by the Universal Service Fund (USF). Telecommunications providers must contribute to the USF through an assessment on their interstate and international revenues. While the telecommunications providers typically pass the USF assessement on to customers in their bills, Lifeline subsidies are not taxpayer funded.

The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Lifeline program on April 25. Sign this petition now so we can deliver it to the committee in advance of the hearing.

- Curbing Wireless Lifeline will harm families, seniors, veterans, minorities and other key groups of low-income Americans.- Wireless lifeline delivers important benefits to low-income families, including helping people find work, stay connected to schools and seek help in an emergency.- Efforts already are ongoing by the Federal Communications Commission to curb fraud and make wireless Lifeline more efficient.- The Lifeline program is not taxpayer funded but paid for by assessments on telecommunications carriers.

Not exactly - the lifeline program is in fact paid for by almmost each and every person who has a telephone.Reagan was a Republican, and as such , he saw to it that the carriers could send that charge on down the line as the USC (Universal Service Charge)I've just changed my phone to Uverse VOIP and can't seem to be able to locate an old bill,but I believe the charge was around $4 to $6 per month. Point is , it ain't free, they may not call it a tax, but you and I are paying for it , so whatever you may want to calll it, it's costing us money.

"“There are some people in politics and in the press who can’t be confused by the facts,” “They just will not live in an evidence-based world." Hillary ClintonDamm she will make a great president !

A recent Washington Post article highlighted growing criticism of the low-income phone subsidy program known as Lifeline, which was founded under President Ronald Reagan's administration and expanded to include cellphone service during the presidency of George W. Bush.

Despite its Republican beginnings, this crucial subsidy that keeps low-income families connected to schools and job opportunities and to E-911 has come under attack by conservatives who mischaracterize the program as a massive giveaway called "Obama phones" being distributed at taxpayer expense. In fact, wireless and landline Lifeline programs are funded by the Universal Service Fund (USF). Telecommunications providers must contribute to the USF through an assessment on their interstate and international revenues. While the telecommunications providers typically pass the USF assessement on to customers in their bills, Lifeline subsidies are not taxpayer funded.

The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Lifeline program on April 25. Sign this petition now so we can deliver it to the committee in advance of the hearing.

- Curbing Wireless Lifeline will harm families, seniors, veterans, minorities and other key groups of low-income Americans.- Wireless lifeline delivers important benefits to low-income families, including helping people find work, stay connected to schools and seek help in an emergency.- Efforts already are ongoing by the Federal Communications Commission to curb fraud and make wireless Lifeline more efficient.- The Lifeline program is not taxpayer funded but paid for by assessments on telecommunications carriers.

Not exactly - the lifeline program is in fact paid for by almmost each and every person who has a telephone.Reagan was a Republican, and as such , he saw to it that the carriers could send that charge on down the line as the USC (Universal Service Charge)I've just changed my phone to Uverse VOIP and can't seem to be able to locate an old bill,but I believe the charge was around $4 to $6 per month. Point is , it ain't free, they may not call it a tax, but you and I are paying for it , so whatever you may want to calll it, it's costing us money.

Thugs are going into grandma's house slipping her free emergency phone out,To make drug deals ,the news said these phones are found alot at crime scenes.

I don't see why my money should help support crime,if used for the right reasons that it suppose to be used then fine.

To paraphrase someone here, the lifeline program is in fact paid for by almost each and every person who has a telephone, whether they are Tax Payers or not! A very large percentage of that 47% the Right hates so much, pay that Universal Service Charge.

Max M. Haiflich, Jr.Free = no regulations = survival of the fittest = SomaliaSo in summation, the Conservative Republican’s Political Platform is, LIES, MORE LIES, OUTRAGIOUS LIES, and DAMN STUPID LIES, because we represent the word of GOD.

Well, if I'm getting yanked for charges and fees I appreciate the fact they're helping someone who can't help themselves. If I could figure out how to opt out of paying the salaries of elected officials who don't earn their paychecks I'd do that and apply the money to free cell phones for the underpriviledged instead.